Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 29.djvu/649

FIFTY·FOUB.TH CONGRESS. Sess. Il. CHS. 363,364. 1897. 619
either to an alien or to a citizen of the United States, in trust and for
the purpose and with the intention of evading the provisions of this
Act, such conveyance shall be null and void, and any such lands so conveyed shall be forfeited and escheat to the United States. _

‘ Sec. 5. That it shall be the duty of the Attorney-General of the ch}; E°u{§;,§*Ql

United States, when he shall beinformed or have reason to believe that **°l*l·
land in any of the Territories of the United States are being held con- _
traryto the provisions of this Act, to institute or cause to be instituted
suit in behalf of the United States in the district court of the Territory
in the district where such land or a part thereof maybe situated, pray-
ing for the escheat of the same on behalf of the United States to the _
United States: Provided, That before any such suit is instituted the §f,‘{}’;ff‘
Attorney-General shall give or cause to be given ninety days? notice by
registered letter of his intention to sue, or by personal notice directed
to or delivered to the owner of said land, or the person who last rendered
the same for taxation, or his agent, and to all other persons having an
interest in such lands of which he may have actual or constructive
notice. In the event personal notice can not be obtained in some one A**"°”“°°¤*°¤*~
of the modes above provided, then said notice shall be given by publication in some newspaper published in the county where the land is
situate, and if no newspaper is published in said county then the said
notice shall be published in some newspaper nearest said county.
“SEc. 6. That if it shall be determined upon the trial of any such S“°°·
escheat proceedings that the lands are held contrary to the provisions
of this Act, the court trying said cause shall render judgment condemning such lands and shall order the same to be sold as under execution; and the proceeds of such sale, after deducting costs of such suit, P¤>¤·>¤d¤-
shall be paid to the clerk of such court so rendering judgment, and
said fund shall remain in the hands of such clerk for one year from
the date of such payment, subject to the order of the alien owner of
such lands, or his heirs or legal representatives; and if not claimed ,.0}’;;°,}Qf,’{‘;’,'}Dl‘;;‘f°°°d°
within the period of one year, such clerk shall pay the same into the
treasury of the Territory in which the lands may be situated, for the _
benefit of the available school fund of said Territory: Provided, That §Q‘}§g';g_
the defendant in any such escheat proceedings may, at any time before
Hnal judgment, suggest and show to the court that he has conformed
with the law, either becoming a bona fide resident of the United States,
or by declaring his intention of becoming a citizen of the United
States, or by the doing or happening of any other act which, under the
provisions of this Act, would entitle him to hold or own real estate,
which being admitted or proved, such suit shall be dismissed on pay-
ment of costs and a reasonable attorney ice to be fixed by the court.
“SEO. 7. That this Act shall not in any manner be construed to refer {fyi t¤vj>g¤?l>¤¤M¢¢
to the District of Columbia, nor to authorize aliens to acquire title from "° r ° ° ° m" *
the United States to any of the public lands of the United States or ruhliclmidlawauut
to in any manner affect or change the laws regulating the disposal of “°"“°°‘l‘
the public lands of the United States, And the Act of which this Act Former Bet in force
is an amendment shall remain in force and unchanged by this Act so f§°f,,f,`f,Q)‘“°"°° °f C‘*
far as it refers to or affects real estate in the District of Columbia.
"SEc. 8. That all laws and parts of laws so far as they contiict with R·¤1><>·>1-
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed."
Approved, March 2, 1897.
CHAP. 364.-An Act To punish the impersonation of inspectors of the health and March 2, 1897.
other departments of the District of Columbia. "‘ "’“‘—
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United _ _ _
States of America, in Congress assembled, That it shall be unlawful for €‘,i§,‘}°§,${,$§L§*;”“;§;
any person in the District of Columbia to falsely represent himself or f¤1¤¤:n>¤r¤¤¤¤¤i¤zi¤—
herself as being an inspector of the health department of said District, SW °"‘
or an inspector of any department of the District government; and any